Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

LEADING OFF WITH THE RECORD-BREAKER
The Card: Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Archives 1960 Rookie Stars
The Reason Graded: He has been an established slugger since his 52 homers as a rookie in 2017, but to a degree he'd fallen off card-wise (and power-wise) the last few years until smacking 39 in 2021 and his Yankees team record (and American League record) 62 homers this year.  I got rid of pretty much all of my RCs in 2017 -- no regrets -- to turn them into stuff I actively wanted (I'm still working rather glacially on some of those Clerks autograph runs) but some of my late-year Judge pulls and some inserts were saved along with my lone autograph. While I haven't yet slabbed my ink -- I probably will here at some point once I figure out what box I put it in -- this insert modeled after the memorable-but-overbearing 1960 Topps design was one that jumped out at me. Why? It was soooo clean.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: I was right and that pop shows me I'm not alone -- but it is surprising given how skinny the stock is here.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

Continue reading →

Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

GOOD TIMING FOR MY FIRST 3D CARD
The Card: Pete Alonso 2019 Topps 3D #475 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Bought:  No, I didn't buy this one in the wake of his Home Run Derby dominance -- I grabbed this one in the off-season since the price was right (around $30) for a good rookie from that one. Since the Derby, this one has sold for a lot more raw and then some in higher grades but it's still relatively modest compared to other big rookies in the last few years. I didn't grab this one to flip -- I just grabbed it as a good example card to have from one of these plastic-stock releases. It's my first and I do like the 3D effect that is applied here. In this case, his front arm feels closer compared to everything else.
The Grade: PSA 9

Reality Check: The pop report is more of the odd modern type with plenty of 10s but there's also nothing below my grade -- so it's a sign that these cards must grade pretty well if you rip packs and find somebody good.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

Continue reading →

Batman is a comics (and movies) giant and a landmark issue in the history of the character arrives at midnight with a huge presence fully emerging at many locations around the world in full tomorrow.

It's Detective Comics No. 1,000 and it's got more than 80 different covers -- this may not be all of them here -- for fans to chase between all of its decades variants and chain-exclusives.

That comes with a star-studded creative team not only on all the various covers but inside, too, as the issue is a 96-page behemoth arriving for the 80th anniversary of the icon that came back in issue No. 27 of the series.

Continue reading →